Economic Development

City Planning

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Central Platte Campus

Former General Chemical Site (Central Platte Campus)Located adjacent to the South Platte River, the former General Chemical site operated as a chemical manufacturing and mining ore processing facility from the 1880s through recent years. The site was acquired and cleaned up by the City, in collaboration with International Risk Group, to create a new centralized Denver Public Works facility and a new City animal shelter. The project received a $200,000 grant from the Colorado Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund (CBRLF) for environmental cleanup (made possible from additional funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act). The site was recognized as a 2011 Brownfields Renewal Award Winner for Environmental Impact.

Background The Central Platte Campus is a 33-acre site located near I-25 and Alameda on the site of the former General Chemical plant, which was used for over 100 years for mineral processing and chemical manufacturing. The resulting contamination consists of heavy metals and acid generating waste. The City entered into a contract to purchase the property in June 2007 with IRG Bayaud which initiated a state-approved cleanup plan on the City’s behalf. The cleanup plan generally consists of removal of “hot spot” areas – areas most heavily contaminated, capping areas where waste remains in place to reduce infiltration through contaminated soils and subsequently contaminate the groundwater, and groundwater monitoring. The City acquired title to the property in May 2009.

The purpose for the City’s acquisition was to provide better access for its Wastewater Management Building and to consolidate the City’s Wastewater and other Public Works operations into a centralized location from various satellite locations. In addition, the campus houses a new City new animal shelter.